Keeping connected with a satellite phone

Even in the digital age there’s a huge part of Australia off the main highways and away from major cities where there is no mobile coverage. That’s why Lionel Mussell carries an emergency satellite phone.

Be prepared for all on-road emergencies with a satellite phone

Do you remember when there were no such things as mobile phones? When you had to seek out a phone box to make calls if you were away from home and no one could get in touch if they needed you? No Mobile Broadband, so no Internet or emails? No tweeting or Facebooking?

I went out this morning without my mobile phone and as the shockwave hit I felt lost and completely cut off from communication. When I got home a couple of hours later my first task was to check for missed calls – how pathetic is that?

I lost my phone the other morning; I searched in vain, wondering where I could have put it the night before. Thinking about the maxim that there’s more than one way to skin a cat, I fired up my computer and logged onto Skype. I dialled my phone but although it said it was ringing there was no sound from it anywhere in the house.

Trying yet again I detected a very faint sound emanating from my linen basket and yes, there was my elusive phone. I’d turned it to silent at band practice the night before and the nest of clothes hid the vibration. I carry it in my shirt pocket and it must have slipped out when I hung the shirt on the bed rail.

All this made me think about how lucky we are to live in an age of instant communication. We can travel all over Australia – or the world for that matter – and can contact family and friends just by pushing a few buttons. A Google search will find out just about anything we need to know and a few clicks of the mouse will connect us to faraway places in seconds.

Even though we live in this exciting age of electronic communications it’s not perfect. There’s a huge part of Australia off the main highways and away from major cities where there is no mobile coverage, and this is where you probably need it most.

That’s why I carry a satellite phone just for emergencies. Fortunately I haven’t needed to use it yet but it’s a great comfort to know it’s there if it’s ever needed. It’s in a special ‘Clam’ box so I’ll be hard pressed to lose it!